• Shoreline of Lake Superiorlake superior shoreline great lake image by Paul Retherford from Fotolia.com
  
  Biking trails on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, known regionally as "The UP," are some of the best off-road cycling in the Midwest, according to Mike McLelland in "Mountain Biking Michigan: The Best Trails in the Upper Peninsula."
  
  "The area is rugged, isolated by the Great Lakes and features awe-inspiring panoramas," he says.
  
  Trails here are underused, and might not be as technically challenging as those in southern Michigan, according to McLelland, but their challenge lies in the UP's hilly, rocky terrain, and also the UP's isolation: you are often far from the nearest store, repair shop or hospital.
  
  

Mackinac Island

• Mackinac Island at the tip of the Upper Peninsula is relatively close to civilization by UP standards and is a bicycler's paradise: a 2,000-acre island that has prohibited automobiles since 1896. Many bicyclists here follow the M-184, an 8.4-mile route around the island with views of Lake Huron. There are interior trails suited to mountain bikers at Mackinac Island State Park, encompassing more than three-quarters of the island. There are 30 miles of moderate to strenuous trails in the park, according to McLelland, that include steep bluffs. You can only reach Mackinac Island by boat. Ferries are available from Mackinac City in the Lower Peninsula or from St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula from May through October. Bicycles can be brought over for a fee.
  
  

Swedetown

• Swedetown, located at Calumet, is a 22-mile trail system that features a few challenging sections, according to the Michigan Mountain Biking Association, but is suitable for the beginning and intermediate single-track rider. There are short climbs and descents. Trails are normally ridable from mid-May through mid-November, and peak color season is from the end of September to early October. The main trailhead and a chalet are at Osceola and Swedetown Roads, about one-half mile west of US 41. There is another trailhead one-quarter mile north of the intersection of Cloverland Road and M-203, according to the association.
  
  

Copper Harbor

• Copper Harbor, one of Michigan's northernmost resort towns, is also a unique attraction for mountain bikers. There are 25 miles of trails here that climb rugged, rocky terrain, including a 550-foot, three-mile vertical that invites comparisons to western-style mountain biking, according to the Michigan Mountain Biking Association. There are single track trails that wind over exposed bedrock, cedar-planked bridges, boardwalks, vistas above Lake Superior, bermed switchbacks, trails along the edge of a hidden canyon, streams, inland lakes and landmarks from the area's mining and maritime industries. Take US 41 north to Copper Harbor. Turn right at the only blinking traffic light in town and head east for four blocks. Turn right and the trailhead and parking are at the corner of US 41 and Second Street.